The writer and co-creator of the Netflix hit series Adolescence has insisted that his show is in ‘no part based on a true story’ amid criticism over the race of the main character.
Adolescence has won plaudits internationally for its chilling depiction of radicalisation and incel culture involving young boys – with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer going so far as to say it should be shown in schools to educate young teens.
As well as sparking a debate in parliament, the series has also prompted fierce comments online about who Adolescence’s main protagonist is based on.
Jack Thorne, who wrote the four part series with its star Stephen Graham, has now hit back at claims the duo based the story of a 13-year-old boy (played by newcomer Owen Cooper) accused of brutally murdering a female classmate on a real case.
Speaking on The News Agents podcast, the acclaimed writer said that ‘it’s absurd to say that this [crime] is only committed by black boys’ following criticism of the main character being white, adding, ‘there is no part of this that’s based on a true story.’
‘We’re not making a point about race with this. We are making a point about masculinity. We’re trying to get inside a problem. We’re not saying this is one thing or another. We’re saying this is about boys.’
‘They’ve claimed that Stephen [Graham] and I based it on a story and so they’re saying that we race swapped it, because we were basically here and then ended up there, and everything else, and nothing is further from the truth.’
The writer and co-creator of the Netflix hit series Adolescence, Jack Thorne, has insisted that his show is in ‘no part based on a true story’ amid criticism over the race of the main character
Jack Thorne has hit back at claims he based the story of a 13-year-old boy (played by newcomer Owen Cooper) who is accused of murdering a female classmate on a real case
‘I have told a lot of real-life stories in my time. I know the harm that can come when you take elements of a real-life story, and you put it on screen, and the people aren’t expecting it.’
‘There is no part of this that’s based on a true story, not one single part.’
Speaking to podcast hosts Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel, Jack also revealed his one regret after watching back his hit series – explaining that he wishes he had included more of the character of Jade, the best friend of the victim Katie.
‘‘I wish, having now seen it and completed it and thought about it since, I wish we’d spent longer with Jade, her best friend, because I think Jade was a really interesting character, and she was beautifully played,’ he mused of the character played by Fatima Bojang.
‘She was really angry at Katie’s death. And I think there was a way that I could have written that episode two, where I gave the audience slightly more glimpses of her, and in retrospect, I would have written a bit more of her in.’
But he cautioned that he never considered delving more into victim Katie’s life, explaining: ‘I think doing an episode on Katie or spending time with Katie’s family would have sort of taken us into a story that we weren’t telling, and that would have been a mistake.’
The show’s protagonist Jamie Miller is played by Owen Cooper in his acting debut, while his dad Eddie is played by Stephen Graham.
Top Boy legend Ashley Walters took on the role of DI Luke Bascombe and Erin Doherty plays psychiatrist Briony Ariston.
Jack also revealed his one regret after watching back his hit series – explaining that he wishes he had included more of the character of Jade, the best friend of the victim Katie (Fatima Bojang as Jade, Hannah Walters as Mrs Bailey)
The show’s protagonist Jamie Miller is played by Owen Cooper in his acting debut, while his dad Eddie is played by Stephen Graham
Adolescence reached 24.3million views in just the first four days of its release – and many have begged for another season
Adolescence reached 24.3million views in just the first four days of its release – and many have begged for another season.
But Jack has insisted he won’t be returning to Jamie’s story, telling The News Agents ‘I don’t think so and I don’t think Stephen [Graham] does either.’
‘I think that we’ve told the story that we wanted to tell. We would like to do another story with the one-shot template, perhaps, and we are thinking how we might be able to do that, with Phil Barantini, our brilliant director, but no, I don’t think it’s about what happens next to Jamie.’
‘I think we’ve told that as fully as we possibly can.’
Stream all episodes of Adolescence on Netflix now.
Listen to the full interview on The News Agents podcast on Global Player today.
